eternal

eternal — adjective

1. An eternal thing never comes to an end — it has always existed and will always e

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

An eternal thing never comes to an end — it has always existed and will always exist, with no final moment of stopping or being destroyed.

Example

The Buddhist monks believed in an eternal cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.

collocation: eternal cycle

During their quiet ceremony, João promised his wife eternal love and devotion.

Common collocations
  • eternal life
  • eternal love
  • eternal youth
  • eternal truth
  • eternal flame
  • eternal soul
  • eternal cycle
Synonyms
  • everlasting

    Very close in meaning but slightly less formal; 'everlasting' emphasises continuing without stopping, while 'eternal' emphasises having no beginning or end.

  • perpetual

    More formal; suggests something that continues without interruption, often in a legal or institutional context (e.g. 'perpetual contract').

  • timeless

    Focuses on not being affected by time at all — used for art, beauty, or ideas that stay relevant across eras.

Antonyms
  • temporary

    Something that lasts only for a limited period.

  • finite

    Has a clear end or boundary; the opposite of infinite duration.

Grammar Patterns

eternal + noun

be + eternal

Usage Note

Sometimes used in religious or philosophical writing alongside near-synonyms like 'everlasting' or 'immortal'. In everyday speech, 'eternal' tends to carry more weight and finality than 'everlasting'.

Common Mistakes

This project feels eternal because it's taking so long.
This project feels endless because it's taking so long.
For expressing frustration about time, 'endless' or 'never-ending' is more natural in casual English; 'eternal' in this sense can sound dramatic or old-fashioned.

2. You describe something as eternal when it feels as if it will never finish, espe

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

You describe something as eternal when it feels as if it will never finish, especially because it is boring, annoying, or repeated too many times.

Example

Takeshi grew tired of his neighbour's eternal complaints about the garden fence.

collocation: eternal complaints

Hannah watched the clock during what felt like an eternal wait at the dentist's office.

pattern: an eternal wait

Common collocations
  • eternal wait
  • eternal complaints
  • eternal questions
  • eternal delays
  • eternal arguing
Synonyms
  • endless

    The most natural synonym for this sense; 'endless wait' sounds more neutral, while 'eternal wait' adds dramatic frustration.

  • never-ending

    Informal and conversational; used the same way as 'eternal' in this sense.

  • incessant

    More formal; describes something that continues without pause, especially an unpleasant noise or activity.

Antonyms
  • brief

    Lasting only a short time.

  • momentary

    Over in a moment — the opposite of a dragged-out experience.

Grammar Patterns

eternal + noun (complaint/wait/argument)

be + eternal

Usage Note

This sense is almost always a slight exaggeration — the wait or repetition is not truly endless, but feels that way to the speaker. Common with nouns of annoyance (complaints, questions, delays) and often in informal speech.

Common Mistakes

The eternal universe has no end.' (using sense 2 in a scientific context)
The universe is eternal in the sense of lasting forever.
This mistake confuses the annoyed-exaggeration sense with the literal sense; scientific or philosophical writing almost always uses sense 1.
Idioms

hope springs eternal

idiom

People continue to have hope even when things seem bad.

Even after losing the game, hope springs eternal for the young team.

Maya still buys lottery tickets; hope springs eternal in her heart.

eternal — noun

Word family

  • eternally
    adverbB2
  • eternity
    nounB2
  • eternalize
    verbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All five words describe something that lasts beyond the normal span of time, but they highlight different aspects. 'Eternal' (B2) is the broadest — it implies having no beginning and no end, and often carries a philosophical or religious tone. 'Everlasting' (B2) focuses on the experience of continuing forward without stopping; it feels slightly warmer and is more common in everyday contexts, like 'everlasting love'. 'Perpetual' (C1) suggests continuous, uninterrupted existence, often in formal or legal contexts ('perpetual lease'), and can also describe annoying repetition. 'Timeless' (B2) is about being unaffected by time at all — a 'timeless melody' feels just as beautiful today as when it was written. 'Immortal' (B2) is reserved for living things that never die, like gods or mythical creatures. For example: 'The cathedral seemed eternal, standing through centuries of change.' 'Her grandmother spoke of the soul as immortal.' 'The painting achieved timeless beauty.'

eternal ↗everlasting ↗perpetualtimeless ↗immortal

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • seemingly eternal
  • almost eternal
  • truly eternal

Phrases

  • eternal life
  • eternal love
  • eternal youth
  • the eternal question

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

From Latin 'aeternus', meaning 'of an age, lasting, permanent', which itself comes from 'aevum' ('age, lifetime'). The Latin root 'aevum' is related to the Greek 'aiōn' (age, lifetime) and the English word 'age'. 'Eternal' entered English around the 1300s through Old French 'eternel' and directly from Latin, gradually replacing the older English word 'ece' for the same concept.